Post by Trade Coach on May 4, 2021 15:26:40 GMT 1
Did you know that snails can lay eggs as frequently as once a month? An average snail can lay up to 86 eggs per cycle; They can lay a minimum of 5 times in a year, it means that the minimum you can get from one snail is 430 eggs in a year.
How is it Possible? That’s the question that would come from the mouths of many Nigerians, in fact from most people in Africa when you mention snail farming. They believe that it is impossible for them to farm snail in their homes.
Snail farming is the simplest farming project anybody can undertake at home; whether you are a landlord or tenant. Take my word for it.
In this article I am going to shock you; you can rear snail inside your veranda, at your backyard, in fact in any available space in your compound. You don’t need to be a landlord to rear snails in the compound where you live.
Snails do not have peculiar odour, no offensive smell, and do not have aggressive sounds that can disturb other tenants. So, why should you not farm snails?
We are starting a series on Snail farming from this article; we will expose our members to the intricacies involved in snail farming whether for personal consumption or for export purposes.
I farm the snails I and my family eat in our home. I make use of old discarded car tires from the roadside vulcanizers in our community. I get their feed from around us. No special feeds other than leaves, vegetables, fruits, etc. Most of them I get free around the home.
So, be prepared to follow us on this life changing journey we are embarking on from this first article on snail farming and export.
Human beings in Nigeria, West Africa and in fact all over the world have been consuming snails from when we cannot specifically say. Snail meat can also be referred to as “Congo Meat” in Nigeria.
The meat is rich in protein, 12-16%; iron, 45-50 mg/kg. It is also low in fat, and contains most amino acids required by human beings.
Snail meat and its liquid have been used in fighting variety of sicknesses in Africa, especially whooping cough. I can remember vividly when we were very young, our mother used to give us the bluish liquid from snails to drink when we exhibit tendency of having cough.
In Ghana, West Africa, the bluish liquid obtained from the shell when the meat has been removed is believed to be good for infant development. The high iron
Content of the meat is considered important in treating anemia.
At the Imperial Court in Rome in the past, snail meat was thought to contain aphrodisiac properties and was often served to visiting dignitaries in the late evening.
The annual demand of snail in Nigeria is about 7.5 million kg; Côte d'Ivoire eats 7.9 million kg annually. It is clear that in other African countries, demand outstrips supply greatly.
Nigeria is known to be endowed with different species of snails; they vary in sizes, colors, adaptability and performance.
To make profits as a snail farmer, you have to know the type of snails you want to raise on your farm. The most recommended species are the ones called the Giant African Land Snails (GALS). They come in three major species.
The Giant African land Snails species include:
Archachatina marginata
Achatina achatina
Achatina fulica
Let us look at these and base our analysis on them as they are the commonest you can find in Nigeria.
Let us start with Archachatina Marginata, it is also known as Giant African Land Snail or Banana Rasp Snail. It is one of the largest land snails in West Africa.
It is a delicacy in Nigeria, and it is of high demand both locally and internationally. It has a high nutritional value, and also valuable by-products.
On full maturity it can grow up to 200 mm in length, and can weigh up to 500 g. It can also live up to 10 years in age if taken care of properly.
It has other species too, and they are:
Archachatina Marginata var.Ovum
Archachatina Mrginata var.Suturalis
Archachatina Marginata var. Eduardi, and so on. In fact there are about 60,000 species of snails in the world.
Archachatina Marganita is best suited for farming in Nigeria due to its rain forest origin.
Prepare yourself for the journey coming from this series; you have no excuse not to farm snails. No matter where you live, you can farm snails.
Stay with us.